Young People's Identities in Their Relations with Parents and Friends

An Analysis of Questionnaire Survey Data of 16 and 17 year-olds

   I conducted a questionnaire survey of 16 and 17 year-olds in Tokyo metropolitan area in March 2002. This paper analyzes the data and reports correlations between the adolescents' images of the self and interpersonal relationships with parents and friends. The main findings are as follows; 50% have an obscure image of the self, 36% have an image of the plural selves, and 14% have an image of the singular self; Compared with males, more females have the obscure identity and less have the singular identity; Obscure identity correlates negatively with interpersonal feelings of satisfaction and understanding; Those who have the plural identities keep stable relationship with friends and especially parents, and their preference of mediated communication via mobile phone and email is stronger than those who have the singular identity.